Articulator



. This mechanism comprises a series of fourV UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. DOWN ING, 0F EVANS, COLORADO.

ARTICULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

Application filed August 1e, 1919. serial No. 317,998.

which it appertains to make and use theV same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specication.

The object of this invention is to provide a dental articulator by means of which the natural motions of the lower jaw in chewing may be duplicated. n

Brietiy, the invention comprises a pair of jaws mounted upon a casing', means being provided for bodily adjusting one jaw toward and away from the other. The lower jaw is connected with mechanism mounted within the casing', which permits a movement of the jaw outwardly and laterally.

arms pivotally connected and controlledby a spring, one of the pivot connections being iixedly mounted in the casing.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the device in use.

Fig. 2 is a plan.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 with the top of the casing and the upper jaw removed to show the mechanism within the casing.

Fig'. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively fragmentary views of lower and upper plates with which the articulator is to be used.

The articulator comprises a casing 10 provided with a cover 12, having an upstanding post 14 on which an adjustable member 16 is mounted and adapted to be retained in adjusted relation by means of a bolt 18 and a nut 20. A broad piece 22 is pivoted to the member 16 at 24 and carries a jaw 26.

A fixed pin 80 extends through the casing and through the cover and has pivoted thereon a pair ot' arms 32 and 34. To the arm 32 there is pivotally connected at 36 an arm 38; and to the arm 34 there is pivotally connected at 40 an arm 42, these two arms being pivoted on apin 44 which passes through a block 46. The block 46 at its outer end slides between the cover 12 and the bottom of thel casing 10. Its inner end is provided with a slot 48 in which the pin 30 is adapted to travel. The pin 50 is mounted in the bottom of the casing 10 and projects upwardly to retain a long leaf spring 52, the ends of whichk engage the outer portions of the arms 32 land 34. The

spring 52 maintains these arms under tension and normally holds the mechanism just described in the position in the casing as shown in F ig. 3. Here the four arms form a diamond-shaped iigure.

The outermost end of the block 46 carrries a lower jaw 54. TheY sides lof the block 46 are cut out to form bearing or cam faces 56, adapted to engage and slide upon the curved adjacent walls 58 of the'casing 10. The upper jaw 26 is adapted'to have'an upper plate 60 secured thereto and the'lower jaw to have a lower plate 62 secured thereto. These plates carry teeth 64, which haveA are located upon;

cusps 66,'and these teeth the plates at angles, as shown, so that the cusps of one tooth will 4lit in the depressions of an opposing tooth, and so that the teeth will move without interference of the cusps in the direction of the normal chewing motions indicated by the small arrow a Fig. 5.

The articulator is designed to duplicate this motion. The block 46 may be drawn out toward either side and will take the direction indicated by the small arrows b as indicated in Fig. 3. When released, the spring 52 will return the mechanism and it will take the direction of one of the arrows c, this direction corresponding with that indicated by the arrowV a in Fig. 5. v

From the foregoing, it will be seen thatV as the jaw 54 and its lower plate 62 are drawn out, the movement iii the direction of the arrows b will correspond with that of thehuman jaw when it is projected forwardly and laterally in the normal chewing process, and that the return movement in the direction of arrows c will be the same as that of the return Ymovement of the human jaw. Thus, by using this device, the teeth may be properly located on the plates to prevent interference of the cusps for chewing operations.

The adjustable parts 14 and 16 permit the ioo i jaws 26 and 54 being positioned in parallel relation, regardless of the size of plates 60 and 62.

I claim:

l. An articulator, comprising a casinga jaw mounted on the casing, a second jaw having a member extending within the casing, the-second jaw being capable of movement outwardly and laterally, and means to return said jaw to normal position.

2. In an articulator, upper and lower A jaws, a casing, arms pivoted together within r the casing, one of said pivots being fixed,

a springto retain said arms in normal position within the casing, and a block connected with said arms and carrying the lower jaw.

3. An articulator, comprising a casing, a jaw mounted on the casing, a plurality ot arms pivotedtogether within the casing, a

j `fixed pivot with which said arms are con- 1n'ected, a block pivoted to said arms and projecting from the casing, and a second jaw mounted on said block and spaced from the first jaw. u j

4. An articulator, comprising a casing, a jaw mounted on `the casing, a plurality of arms pivoted together within the casing, a fixed pivot with which said arms are connected, a blockpivoted to said arms and projecting from `the casing, and a second jaw mounted on said block and spaced from the first jaw, said block having a cam face adapted to engage the adjacent side of the casing to permit lateraland forward motion of said second jaw.

5. An art1culator, co1npr1sing a casing, a

u jaw mounted onthe casing, a plurality of arms pivoted together within the casing, a

4four arms pivoted together within the casing to form a four-sided figure and mounted on a fixed pivot, a bloclrpivoted to said arms and projecting from the casing, and a jaw mounted on said block, said block having a cam face adapted to engage the adjacent side of the casing to permit lateral and forward motion of said jaw.

8. `An articulator, comprising a casing, fourarms pivoted together within the casing to form a four-sided figure and mount ed on a fixed pivot, ablock pivoted to said arms and projecting from the.V casing, and

a jaw mounted on said block, said block being slidable on said fixed pivot.

9. An articulator comprising a casing, a

jaw mounted on `the casing, a second, jawl 4having amember extending into the casing and a pluralityy of movable devices having j connection with said member, capable of per mitting bodily movement of said second ja outwardly and laterally. v

In testimonyfwhereof'I affix my signaj ture.

` (JHARLESH. DOWNING 

